Malec
by Falcner
Summary: Alec was no stranger to harsh words and scathing glances, so when he returned home to Magnus emotionally beaten, he took comfort in the Warlock's whispered words of comfort, replacing the curses and cries of damnation. Major Character death in some of these one-shots, be warned.
1. 003 Sticks and Stones

Alec was tired of it all. The stares, the whispers behind his back, the Shadowhunters that now treated him differently. He knew they shouldn't bother him, he knew he should be used to it, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Walking home to Magnus's he caught another heated glare sent his way, he smiled and waved and the Shadowhunter turned away. Lowering his hand Alec could feel shame creeping up on him. Why was he this way? Why did he always disappoint and Jace and Isabelle always do good?

He pushed his way through the crowd and cringed whenever he heard a whispered barb fall into his ear. "Think you're better than us?" "He won't want you when you're old." "You're going to hell, why does the Clave let you in still?" Over and over he heard those same things repeated. Over and over he asked them himself.

Entering the apartment he didn't say anything as Magnus enveloped him in a hug and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "Hush, baby. It's okay, you're fine. They're wrong about you, just like your father's wrong about you." Alec let himself be held as words from the Clave meeting passed through his mind. "Homosexual Shadowhunters don't last, weak, effeminate, useless, useless, useless to fighting. Not good for anything but women's work." The Clave looked over anything he had done as Alexander Lightwood as useless and wasted and just at what Alec had done for the Shadowhunter's community. Which was nothing but bring shame to the LIghtwood family name.

He just broke. In Magnus's arms he felt safe, whole, and warm. He felt needed, loved, and accepted. "What happened darling?" Magnus asked, stroking hair back from the pale forehead of his boyfriend.

Snorting with laughter or unidentified malice Alec replied, "What didn't happen would be a better question." "Fine, what didn't happen today Alec?" "

I didn't die, I didn't get beat up, I didn't get attacked by a demon, and I didn't get pick pocketed coming home. That is my day and I hate it, i wish it would change but Fate hates me and Destiny is in bed and the Angel doesn't seem to care!" Alec threw up his hands in disgust and went to walk away but Magnus held him there.

"You're fine baby. You're you. Words and a, pardon my French, shitty day won't prove otherwise. Everything everybody says is wrong and everybody that says that can go stick a needle in their eye. You're perfect no matter what others say." Magnus took a breath and looked at Alec.

"Thanks Mags, I needed that."

Magnus smiled and wrapped the pale skinned boy in a hug. He liked the way his little Shadowhunter smiled when he was happy.


	2. 035 Coming Home

The fight continued as it had for most of the night. The demons came in waves while Alec, Jace, Isabelle, and Clary fended them off with their Seraph blades. What did not go right was the fact that one of said demons had gotten in a lucky hit to Alec's side and it now throbbed like hell. Hoping the fight would be over soon so he could go home to Magnus and eat whatever he had made for dinner he failed to see the Greater Demon come from behind him. A blade was aimed his way and he barely ducked in time.

"Jace!" He called until the black blood exploded over him and he ruefully grinned. He knew his parabatai would never kill him but the close knife calls were getting on his nerves.

"Sorry." Jace appeared next to him bending down to reclaim his seraph blade from the steaming pile of guts on the asphalt. Wiping it off onto a cloth he groaned as the blade melted and he threw it down in disgust. "Maryse is going to kill me, that's the third seraph I've totaled in the last week."

"I think they'll understand, this is the most Greater Demons we've ever face in one week too. I got your back if they say anything about it, I've gone through four of them myself," Alec said, clapping a hand to Jace's shoulder in silent support.

Jace nodded and threw out another seraph at the demon who had been sneaking up on Clary. Her eyes searched the area and she nodded her thanks to Jace. He nodded back. Turning back to Alec he shrugged. "That makes four now. Damn I hate Greater Demons." He shuddered as if the thought repulsed him but Alec knew better, the more fearsome the demon meant the better the fight would go, and Jace loved to fight.

Hissing as his side burned he placed a hand against the angry wound and fought the black spots that were swimming in his vision. The fight was almost over then he could leave. He just had to hold out that long. And with that thought he broke away from Jace and plunged his two remaining blades into the twin demons that Isabelle was fighting.

"I could've handled them," was all she said but Alec took it for the thanks he knew it was. His sister just had a weird way of saying it. He grimaced as his side burned again and he hoped to be able to leave now. The fight was over and the night didn't hold no more surprises hopefully. They walked to the midpoint for all of them, Jace, Clary, and Isabelle to the Institute and Alec to Magnus's, his boyfriend of two years now.

They remained on their guard for a minute but when they didn't hear anything trying to sneak up on them they relaxed and went their separate ways.

As he was walking away Jace called that they were going to Taki's but he just shook off the invite with an excuse that Magnus had cooked dinner tonight and that he was hoping to eat home cooked food for once. His sister stuck her tongue out at him, her cooking was horrible though. He laughed and continued walking towards Magnus's apartment.

Stopping at the crosswalk he was forced to grab the pole to stop from falling to the pavement. The pain was worse and the black spots weren't going away this light changed and he forced his legs to walk, keeping his breathing even and his pace steady he knew that he didn't want to worry Magnus too much when he came home.

Getting to the apartment he opened the door and climbed into the elevator glad that this worked at least, he didn't want to climb the stairs. Getting off at Magnus's floor he staggered to the door and unlocked the bolt, nearly falling face first onto the carpet. Instead he grabbed onto the back of the couch and stood there, trying to get his bearings straight.

"Alec? Are you back, love?" Magnus called from the back. He came out from behind his office beads and ran to where Alec was by the door. "Alec? You got injured again, didn't you? Where?" Magnus ran his hands up and down Alec's lithe body in search of the injury. When he reached the Shadowhunter's side he pulled away as Alec cried out and pitched forward.

Catching the smaller teen against him Magnus quickly got his lover's shirt off and leaned him against his chest, whispering a quick healing spell and gliding his hands down the small but muscular chest. Watching the harsh wound heal he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He hated it when his Shadowhunter was injured but he did understand that their job was dangerous. He just hated it when the job injured the one he loved.

"Alec?" Magnus whispered as he watched his chest rise and fall with ease now.

Baby blues peeked out from under black eyelashes and Alec gave a weak smile.

"Hey," he whispered, nuzzling his face into the crook of Magnus's neck with a sigh. "M'sorry for getting hurt again."

"No you're not. You know I'll heal you anyway." Magnus smiled and smoothed dark hair away from the pale face. "If you want there's food in the kitchen." He left the offer hang there knowing how Alec got when he'd been injured.

"Food sounds great Mags," Alec said closing his eyes and falling asleep. He always did this after he was healed but Magnus never took it as an insult, he knew that Alec felt safe with him and he would keep it that way. Picking his shadowhunter up he carried him to the bedroom before going and magicking the food away, it was just chicken and dumplings it would keep. Going back to the bedroom he stripped down to his boxers and crawled in beside Alec.

Curling around him he held the smaller boy closer to his chest and placing his hand over Alec's heart, whispered every word of love that he could think of to him until the morning came and Alec woke up to find a sleeping Magnus beside him and a smile on his face.


	3. 054 Crawl

"Stop it! Please! It's me you're angry at so please, hurt me not him. Please."

Alexander Lightwood's voice rose as his parabatai held him back from his boyfriend as he was publicly flogged; the crime; falling in love with a Shadowhunter and dating him.

"Don't Alex, they'll hurt you to make their point and Magnus will yell at me for that," Jace whispered to his partner.

"They're gonna' kill him, Jace. I _need_ to do something," Alex's voice was hoarse from screaming half the day. The Clave was deaf to all his protests and didn't want to listen to any others either.

"They'll kill you if you interfere with his punishment," Jace whispered. Turning his head into Jace's black jacket clad shoulder Alex cried, hot tears sliding down and streaking the grey tee he wore.

Jace wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and let his partner cry, he needed it. When the news reached them about Magnus, Alex had taken to his room and hadn't left but to for missions that were deemed important enough to warrent for more than two experienced Shadowhunters. He stopped coming to meals and only showed his face at Robert's threats to kick him out if he didn't put on a front and _at least _pretend to be happy.

The final arc of the flogger made its descent and hit the torn flesh of the mage. Born from the body of a human and the seed of a demon they were good for a helping hand here and there and only if you had enough money to pay them up front. Greedy and rotten to the core the Clave thought they were.

The shackles round the tanned but cut wrists were released and the muscular body fell to the hard floor. A sound never left the pinched lips of Magnus as he was wrenched upwards and made to face the elders of the Clave on his knees.

"Do you know why you have been brought here today, Warlock?" The elder asked, distaste clear in his face, eyes hard and emotionless.

"For falling in love, the ultimate sin of all the races on this earth it seems," Magnus said with a glint in his eyes.

"God, Magnus please don't egg them on," Alex whispered. Still wrapped in Jace's arms he bit his bottom lip in worry.

"For corrupting a young Shadowhunter, for bringing him into your lifestyle, that is what you were punished for. Do you dare argue with the citations for which you were brought here?"

Magnus started to laugh and laugh and laugh. The Clave looked to one another then to the experienced mage.

"What do you think is so funny?" The elder asked.

"Corruption of a Shadowhunter. Young and easily led by another he is not. Alexander Gideon Lightwood has a mind of his own and I, nor anybody else, has led him astray in his life. That is what I find _funny_." Magnus's laugh died down to a chuckle and he stared at the Clave with defiant eyes. "I wasn't punished for _loving_ another like him long ago. What has happened between that time and this?"

"He did not love you as you loved him, this was proven."

"He loved me as well as he could until _you_ interfered with us. Now I am told that loving, again might I add, one of your _precious _Shadowhunters is illegal. I pity the day you marry Elder," Magnus was livid now. Angry red spots dotted his face and he, in spite of his injuries, made for the front of the podium where the Clave sat.

Alex whimpered in the back of his throat and wiggled in Jace's tight grip. He had brought his face from Jace's shoulder and was staring at Magnus with tears burning in his eyes. He knew that Magnus had loved another but to know that the Clave had not punished him for it then and was now doing so made no sense. Fighting against Jace he whispered a quick, "Sorry," before stepping on Jace's sneakered foot and running towards Magnus just as the Overseer brought down the flogger.

"NO!" Jace cried as on Alex's back and arms were four parallel lash marks. Jace ran forward and dragged Alex back to where they had been before. "Stay here, dammit!" He hissed in his ear.

Looking back to where the Clave was now staring at Alex.

"Why do you interfere young Shadowhunter?" The Elder intoned, voice echoing in the vast cavern of the room.

"Because I love him, Elder!" Alex called out to the entire room while Jace groaned and looked at the floor.

"How can you love one such as he. A thing born with magic that is good for naught but causing destruction." The Elder spoke with such vehemence in his voice that Alex took a step back before locking his knees and staring the older man down.

"_I _am the one who says he loves that person that causes destruction. He has been nothing but considerate to me while we were dating. _He_ is the reason I am still sane after all the battles fought, the demons we have battled, and the shit we have been through. _You _have no right to tell me who I can and cannot date, the Accords have been changed to fit the last alliance we had. The downworlders have their own place but this Downworlder has his place beside me," Alex ranted, drawing closer to the Clave Elders with a sense of strength growing inside him.

Jace didn't know whether to clap, laugh, or cry. Alex was right on all fronts but the Clave decided in the end who was right and who was wrong, though the outcome was never the one they wanted.

The elders whispered among themselves as if to find a solution to the problem they faced. When the elder nodded they turned and stared at the young man and the warlock in front of them. "We are not sorry as we pass this judgement. Magnus Bane, High Warlock of of Brooklyn the punishment for disregarding the Accords so freely and for going against time honored traditions, we, the Clave and the Elders upon it, deem it necessary to ban you from _ever _seeing, acknowledging, or contacting the Shadowhunter Alexander Gideon Lightwood as long as he shall live."

Magnus crumpled to the floor and lay there, stunned to hear the verdict but expecting it.

The Elders turned to Alex next, fixing him with their grey, blue, and brown eyes that were cold and void of emotion. "For the trespass you, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, have conducted against the Accords in full knowledge of the laws that were set down; you too are banned from ever acknowledging, contacting, or seeing High Warlock Magnus Bane as long as you shall live."

Alex shook his head and tears started flowing freely again. Then he thought about what the Clave had said. From contacting _him_. He had a feeling he would owe Isabelle so many favors now.


	4. 057 Power

Magnus glared at the Warlock in front of him, holding his lover in his arms as blue flames danced threateningly on his hands; "Don't ever touch him again."

The threatened Warlock smirked and his own blue flames danced upon his hands.

"He wanted it, begged for it in fact. Pleaded and when I finally gave it to him, crumbled." The Warlock laughed, his tone haunting in the room.

Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn laid his boyfriend of two years upon the unforgiving concrete and rose to his full height. Standing well above what he portrayed himself to be when dealing with mortals and customers his own blue flames licked at his fingers, itching to be released.

The threatened Warlock never stopped laughing as he too rose to full height.

Standing a hair shy of Magnus he made up for it in power. Blue sparks shot from his hand to land upon the ground.

"Is the great, magnificent Magnus Bane angry? I gave your _precious _beloved _everything_ he wanted. Power he has melded with power he had. Never wanting now, everything at hand when he wants it."

Magnus trailed his cat like eyes down to where Alec lay. His companion of two years had left him for someone with more power than he, for whatever reason he didn't know. "It's not true, it can't be. He loves me."

He wished Alec would wake up and tell him it was all lies but power corrupts absolute. His Shadowhunter would never be HIS again. His Shadowhunter would never BE again.

Closing his eyes with a sigh he wondered how it had come to this. His Shadowhunter lying dead with power coursing through him. Though it wouldn't help him now. Warlock magic and Shadowhunter sorcery didn't mix well to begin with. The mix of power killed about three-fourths of the people that tried to gain power this way.

Letting his power leave Magnus shifted until he kneeled by Alec. Picking the still body up he kissed the blue lips and looked up to the strange Warlock.

"Power is as Power does," the stranger said.

Magnus shook his head at the saying. The blue flames returned and he laid Alec down again and held his arms out.

"Take it, my power. I never wanted to be without him. I want to die."

The stranger grinned, took Magnus's offering and watched as the once proud High Warlock of Brooklyn died next to his Shadowhunter.


	5. 85 Needful Things

"My my, isn't someone impatient." Magnus smirked, gazing down at the bound and helpless Shadowhunter.

Alec whimpered, his bright blue eyes already glazed over with mind numbing pleasure. "Please," he let out. Pants passed his lips as he tried to gain more feeling than that of the feather light touches his lover was placing on him.

"Mmh? Please what darling?" Magnus all but purred into Alec's ear, running his tongue along the ridge of it before biting the tip.

"Ah! Magnus! Please...need." Thrashing his head Alec tried to stutter out what he wanted but failed as Magnus gave his neck a nip. Trailing down he laved at his collar bone and sucked a dark red mark there.

"Need what?"

Straining against the ties that bound his wrist Alec's blue eyes flashed with mischievousness as his unbound legs were soon wrapped around the Mage leaning over him. Grinding upward he bit his bottom lip as _some_ of the pressure was relieved.

"Alec," Magnus ground out, hips starting a rhythm of their own to match Alec's pace.

"Yes, Mags? What is it?" Alec said, a smile on his face as he sped up. Pressure was building in his stomach and he knew he wasn't far off from cumming. A few more thrusts and he would be there. Blissed out and happy.

"Not...like...this." And with that Magnus twisted his hand to still the slim hips under him. Blue magic slithered from his hand to hold them down in a pale imitation of bindings.

"No," Alec whined, his hips trying to find friction from _something_. "Magnus, no, please."

Magnus chuckled and, whispering a few more words, soon had Alec begging to cum. Tendrils of magic slithered in and out of Alec and his body.

"No...uhn! Fair, Magnus. Not - Ahhh!"

"Not what Sweetling?" Magnus purred as his magic did the work his fingers could have done. He loved teasing his Shadowhunter to the brink then letting him go.

"Not like this. Please," Alec begged, pale skin flushed red, his cock straining to release, its head practically spilling pre-cum.

"How do you want it then? Be specific or else it might not happen." Magnus smirked.

"Fuck me."

Not enough."

"Magnus! Quit using your damn magic and stick your god damned dick in me before - By the angel!"

Leaning over the flushed body Magnus grinned, cat like. "Why didn't you say so before?"

"Fuck you," Alec ground out.

"No thanks, I'm planning on fucking you." And with that Magnus fucked Alec into the bed. Hearing him scream his name as he came Magnus pounded into him before he also came. Filling his boyfriend's ass he fell to the side and cuddled the other closer. Waving a hand they were automatically clean and content.

"Love you Mags," Alec whispered.

"Aku cinta kamu, Alec."

Author's Note: Sorry I forgot to put this in when I first posted guys but you can thank Kai-Chan94 for catching it! I just adore her. The words are Indonesian for "I love you." Magnus says them a lot in the books so I though I would throw it in for good measure. sorry about not putting it in before.


	6. 086 Lawyers

Alec found it amusing when Magnus shouted at the TV screen, cursing certain decisions and actions the actors did.

But not everybody else did.

"This is why we can never watch horror movies ever again," Isabelle complained.

"And why is that?" Her brother asked watching the screen with rapt attention.

"Your boyfriend always yells at the stupid things. I know mundanes are dumb but he thinks _he_ can make them listen through a television screen," Izzy rambled dipping her hand into the popcorn bucket only to come up empty handed. Pouting she glared at Alec until he sighed and went to make another bag of popcorn. Pausing the movie Isabelle held her finger up at Magnus Bane sitting in the corner with Duct Tape over his mouth.

"Do you _promise _to be quiet throughout the _rest_ of the movie?"

Magnus nodded ecstatically and Izzy sighed. Standing she made her way over to where he sat and ripped the tape off his mouth.

"_OW! _That hurt," he whined, rubbing his lips with the back of his hand. "Why'd you Duct tape my mouth anyway?"

"You wouldn't stop talking and you were starting to tick Izzy here off," Alec replied coming back with a bucket full of popcorn. Bending down he kissed the swollen red lips of his boyfriend and settled on the couch to finish the film.

"So you let her duct tape my mouth shut?"

Alec shrugged, "It was either that or she'd tackle you and wrap you in cellophane. I thought that was the better of two evils if she just taped your mouth shut and called it good."

Magnus pouted as Isabelle laughed and started the movie, _The Ward_.

Alec handed the bucket to Izzy and hid behind one of the many throw pillows on the couch Magnus had collected over the years. Screaming as something jumped out, he had to laugh soon after as Magnus complained.

"So you chase the shadows down the hall like a smart person then scream when it attacks you. Yeah for a blonde she's really stupid actually."

Isabelle narrowed her eyes and glared at the high warlock. "For someone soooo old you really are stupid. Talk one more time and I'm Cellophaning your butt and taping your mouth shut again." She waved her hand and spilled popcorn over the floor.

Arching a brow Magnus Bane replied, "Darling, I have less threats from the Vampires." Looking at the television screen he groaned as if in pain before, "No, you stupid thing. Don't run _towards_ the basement, go away from it."

"That's it," Izzy growled. She reached for her whip and stood. Uncoiling it she snapped it in the air and trapped Magnus as he tried to run from the room.

"She warned you, Mags." Alec had paused the screen on the face that jumped from the dark and shivered at the sight.

Magnus whimpered as Isabelle grinned and pulled the cellophane from behind the door where she had stored it just in case and began unwrapping it. When she got to where Magnus lay curled into a ball she began wrapping him like a present from throat downward.

When complete she grabbed the duct tape and made sure to tape only his mouth so he could still breath through his nose. Sitting back she surveyed her work and grinned. "My best work, if I do say so myself." She brushed her hands off on each other and sat back on the couch, her brother still hiding behind the pillow as she started the movie.

Magnus glared at them for the entire thing.


	7. 102 Storm

Alec flinched at the next rumble of thunder, clenching his eyes shut as lightning flickered and flashed, highlighting his pale face. He whimpered as harsh patterns of rain slammed into the window, shaking as he buried his face into his knees. "Magnus," Alec nearly sobbed into the empty room. "Please hurry."

"Be right there, I promise." Magnus shuffled through the cupboards, drawers, and the cabinet in the back for the candles and flashlights he knew they had but he couldn't find right now. "Damn it!" he cursed as he violently pawed through the mess he had created. "Alec, darling, where are the flashlights?"

"In the drawer," Alec called back, not opening his eyes as lightning flashed again and again.

Magnus, finally getting tired of it, crafted a light from his magic and made his way back to the bedroom. Setting the "Light" on the bedroom dresser he created another and another and set them about in the room at different heights.

"Alec? Baby, look at me." Magnus knelt down and pried Alec's hands away from his face and ears, eased his long legs out straight in front of him, and enveloped him in a hug, crushing him into his shoulder.

Thunder rumbled and Alec burrowed himself into the thick terry cloth robe Magnus wore when he was with Alec. It smelled of sandalwood and magic and Alec wanted desperately to disappear into it.

Gentle fingers slid over the smooth expanse of his bare back and carefully kneaded the knots there until Alec was a puddle in Mangu's lap; at least until the next flash that was. Tense and as knotted up as before Magnus shook his head and sighed.

"How can you fight demons, vampires, and everything else that goes bump in the night but a little storm bothers you?"

Alec shuddered as he remembered why he was afraid of storms in the first place. "I may be strong enough to fight some things but others are ingrained, Mags," he whispered.

"Wanna' talk?" Magnus wrapped his arms tighter around the lithe body and smiled when he felt the other nod.

"We were living in Idris when I was little before Max came along and Robert came home one day. It had been raining all day and it looked like it would get worse before it would get better. My parents had told us that we would have to leave Idris but we didn't think the Clave would kick us out on a night like that." Alec clutched Magnus tighter as another wave of rain hit the windows and sounded like bullets.

"It's okay, baby. I'm here." Magnus traced circles onto bare skin and tried to calm his racing heart. He didn't think he wanted to hear what came next.

"The Clave sent people to tell us to leave, they would send our stuff later that week when the storm had died down. We, Isabelle and I, took our mother's hands while Robert had the trunk we packed under his arms and we left. The rain was pouring, like tonight, and the storm raged but our mother dragged us along to the portal to bring us to the institute. The storm took a turn for the worse and I was dragged out of her grasp by the wind."

He paused to take a breath before continuing, "My father found me with my arms wrapped around a pole, picked me up, and carried me to the institute. I still hate storms to this day."

He looked sheepishly at Magnus and said, "Sorry."

"For what? Being human? I'm still scared to death of bugs after they ate me alive at camp that one time." Magnus shuddered as he remembered the incident.

Alec laughed and tilted his head to stare at his boyfriend. "I wondered how come you were so squeamish with bugs. Here I thought it was some horrible story but it was a camp thing. What did they do, put bugs in your bed while you slept?"

Magnus pouted, "At the time it wasn't funny but hearing you say it, it is now." He cracked a smile as he heard the bell like laughter of his lover. Bending down he captured his lips in a breath taking kiss and led him to the bed. "I'm going to make you forget the storm outside and cause one in here."

Alec got a sly look on his face before dashing off into some other part of the apartment shouting behind him, "Catch me if you can!"

The storm forgotten Magnus gave chase and when he caught up with the Shadowhunter he pushed him onto the bed and didn't let him up until mid-morning the next day.


	8. 104 I'm Here

"Shhh, baby," Magnus whispered, as Alec cried out, thrashing in his sleep. "It's not real, it's not real. Come on, love. Wake up," He rubbed his lover's forehead gently, pulling the distressed boy closer. "Wake up, for me, love. Please Alec."

He hated it when his Shadowhunter was injured, he hated it even more when that injury was poison. Poison that had to run its course and couldn't be forced out by magical means otherwise the person infected was hurt a lot worse than just nightmares.

This poison meant death if magic met it.

Alec thrashed in his sleep, tossing the covers and pillows everywhere, and tearing the blankets up. His dark hair was stuck to his head in clumps and his pale skin seemed even paler when he was like this. Lost in the nightmare he was having Magnus jumped as Alec whined in the back of his throat and reached out for something. "Max," he whimpers.

"No, Alec, please. Max isn't here right now. He's fine," Magnus sobbed, his cat yellow eyes were waterfalls. Tissues were dabbed at the edges but tears still fell. "He's with your mom and Izzy at the library checking out Naruto manga."

He hated lying to the one he loved but if the nightmare was about Max then he hoped that the nightmare wouldn't make him relive the night he lost his little brother to a rogue Shadowhunter that wasn't a Shadowhunter in the end.

Not being able to do anything was the hard but watching it _and_ not being able to do shit about it was the really hard part. You wanted to make it all go away but you realize that in the end the only person who could do that was the person that was poisoned.

A knock to the door had Magnus getting up and opening it a crack. He had given a key to Alec after two weeks of dating him but since he had been here for nearly the past month the key had been given to Jace to give to either Clary or Isabelle depending on who wanted to make sure Magnus was still alive and still sane somewhat.

"It's me, Clary." The red-headed girl slipped in through the crack in the door. She wore a tie-dyed shirt, dark jeans, and her sneakers that were ragging out and needed to be replaced. In her hand she held a plastic bag and the smell was absolute heaven to Magnus who hadn't eaten for a day and a half. He had found something that he thought would help Alec but it hadn't worked; not even a little.

"You want food? I got one BLT with chicken noodle soup and one Penne alfredo with garlic bread." She held the food up like a peace offering and Magnus gave her a wan smile.

"Let me go find the plates and we can eat in the living room." With one last look at the boy on the bed he left, though the door stayed wide open just in case. Going to the kitchen he got down two plates and grabbed the same number of utensils. Setting them down on the table he let Clary rummage through the bags to find what was what. Sighing the mage went to the living room and turned the television on, flipping to the newest episode of _Top Model _he and Alec had been wanting to see for the past month. It was the season finale and it was time to see who was staying and who was leaving. Watching it was fun but not without another person to complain too.

"Here you go Magnus." Clary held two plates before him and let him pick.

Grabbing the one with the soup he whispered his thanks and brought the soup bowl to his mouth, slurping it into his mouth and burning his tongue at the same time.

Handing him a glass of cold water Clary chuckled. "Alec said you do that all the time with soup."

"When did you guys talk last?" Magnus inquired taking a bite of the sandwich instead of sipping the soup.

"Before he was injured at the last battle. He wanted to learn to cook so he could make you something special for Valentine's day." Clary sighed and looked at her penne alfredo that had slightly congealed on her plate. Shrugging one shoulder she took a few bites and used her garlic bread to mop up the sauce.

Magnus nodded his head. "I need to get back, thanks for lunch Clary." He set his empty plate on the table in front of him and left the room, going back to sit next to Alec.

"Please Alec, wake up. Please baby, please." He grabbed Alec's hand and rested his head on the edge of the bed. Hot tears coursed down and created a small puddle on the bed, leaking onto the Shadowhunter's hand.

The shifting on the bed stopped and a rattling breath made Magnus look up in alarm.

Alec's eyes were open wide in alarm, his pale hand scrabbling at his chest weakly, trying desperately to get air into his starving lungs. His pale skin seemed to get paler and paler as his attempts to breath became less successful, more panicked, and even more uncoordinated.

The bright blue eyes that always stared at the heart of somebody grew dim and closed as the wheezing breath stopped and the pale pallor turned blue around the lips.

"No! No, why?" Magnus shook the still body as Clary came rushing in. Her fingers dialed the institute by rote and a rap sounded at the door after the family had been notified.

With a numb body Magnus went to the front door and opened it. His yellow cat eyes were dim and his hair lay lank, devoid of any pep that was usually there as they took in the sight that greeted him. Brother Enoch from the Silent City stood on the stoop, rain pouring down around him. Fitting the day a Shadowhunter died...no he wasn't dead. Magnus shook his head and banished those thoughts away.

"_I have come for the one called Alexander Gideon Lightwood. I have come to give him final rites," _the brother intoned inside Magnus's head. He shivered at the sound of it; it was hauntingly eerie. It spoke volumes of how old the Brother was and how long he had been around.

"He's not dead! Dammit, people, why can't you see that. He's not dead! He's not," Magnus continued to sob his defiance to whoever would listen.

Brother Enoch reached out a hand covered in runes and other ancient texts. Placing it upon Magnus's head he caught him as he fell into sleep.

"_Clary." _

At the Silent Brother's urging Clary left the bedroom with tears pouring down her face and dripping onto the floor. Taking Magnus she carried him to the couch and laid him down. It was sad that she was able to carry him but the month of hell had not been any better on Magnus than it had been for any of them either. His skinny but muscular frame was just skin now, the muscle had long since gone; he had stopped working out a while ago now.

Pulling a blanket from the chair she draped it over the sleeping form and went to check on Brother Enoch.

Pausing in the doorway she stared at the sight of Alec's pale and emancipated body now that she could see it all. His P.J's had been stripped down to his boxers and Brother Enoch stood over him with a wet cloth, cleaning the body before blessing it and saying a short prayer.

"Brother, he was getting better why did he make a turn for the worse all of a sudden?" Clary was beckoned into the room by a pale runed hand and "told" to take the hand of the young Shadowhunter.

She did as told and watched as Magnus cried onto the bedspread and consequently onto Alec's hand as well.

"_Tears such as these have immense power. Too much power for young Lightwood here,"_ the Silent Brother _whispered_ into Clary's mind, as if he himself did not want to violate the sanctuary the bedroom had become.

"Magnus is gonna' hate himself when he wakes up," Clary breathed.

"_Guilt is not the best for a sad soul." _The Silent brother went back to washing the pale body of the Shadowhunter.

"I know Brother, I do but Magnus loved him and if he knows that it was his tears that did this-," Clary trailed off as she thought about the consequences.

"_He will die as well,"_ The Silent Brother finished for Clary.

Clary nodded, sighed, and went back out to the living room to sit beside the sleeping mage. "I hope you never blame yourself."

Magnus stirred and opened his yellow eyes. Hope sparked before he saw Clary shaking her head. "Not true, please don't let it be true."

"It's true, I'm sorry Magnus," she whispered.

Magnus was numb as he blinked his eyes mechanically when they started to burn. He couldn't believe it. His Alec was dead. What had killed him? He had been getting steadily better before...before, before Magnus had cried on him.

Looking at Clary and sitting up he whispered, "I killed him, didn't I?"

Shaking her head she muttered no but Magnus tore the blanket off and made his way to the bedroom where Brother Enoch stand barring the mage's way.

"Let me through! Dammit to hell, let me in." Magnus fought against the strong arms of the Brother and failed.

"_There is nothing left to do but to wait for his family now. You can do nothing else here, Warlock of Brooklyn." _

Magnus shook his head and sobbed. Sinking down to the floor with his back to the wall he thought back to what Alec had looked like that morning one month ago. Bright blue shining eyes, with his dark Shadowhunter gear over the tight tee that Magnus had _finally _talked him into wearing. His shoes were scuffed, his jeans tough and dark, and the dark unruly hair of his was untamed as anything else than before.

He had been...excited to go somewhere new for an assignment but wary too. While it was just New Jersey it _was _a new place to hunt. But the institute there needed help and the only ones able to help out with the problem had been the New York one.

The door squeaked open and Jace was bending down to pick the Mage up as if he were a toddler, holding him to his chest and whispering possible words of comfort but Magnus was too out of it to understand. He did feel however as he was laid back on the couch and covered back up.

Shivering he lay there for what seemed like hours but was mere minutes before falling into a fitful sleep.

Dark and haunting was the only way to describe the dream. He was under a dark sky that was filled with stars and he knew he was dreaming. New York was always lit up and you never saw the stars this clear. Looking around he heard a noise behind him.

Turning he blinked slowly then broke into a huge grin and ran into pale arms that were strong and picked him off the ground, turning him in a circle.

Then the smiles started, not one of them could stop before the other was breaking into a smile, grin, or even a bit of a giggle here and there. Pretty soon Alec was setting Magnus down and shaking his head sadly.

"How did you get here?" He asked. God, he sounded more like himself.

"I fell asleep on the couch. Where is here?"

"In between." The cryptic answer had Magnus arching a brow over his cat yellow eyes.

"Where is in between? In between where?"

"Life and death." Alec smiled that sad smile again and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "I'm sorry."

"But you're here, you're not dead right?" That warble came back to Magnus's voice and Alec stepped forward.

"No, sweetie. I AM dead. But you didn't do anything wrong, you didn't kill me." Alec ran his hand through the hair that had been dyed so many different colors it was weird to see it the normal color of black with no streaks.

"You can't be dead, how are we talking?"

Alec kissed the black mop of hair and looked at his boyfriend. "In-between life and death anybody can meet to say good bye. You fell asleep on the couch and called me here."

Magnus sobered up and nodded his head. "Okay then. I wish you were able to be with me, Alec. I'm going to miss you so much. And Jace. Jace has no more parabatai to look out for him, he's torn but he has Clary and Isabelle has Simon. I have no one now." He started to tear but swiped angrily at them.

Alec stared at the sight of his boyfriend. He knew nothing would make this better; for either of them but he hoped in time Magnus would move on. "I'll always be there but not in body. You need to be strong. Throw yourself into work like you usually do, it'll help for a while. The people you call friends will help with whatever else."

Magnus nodded, wrapped Alec in one last hug, and woke up. A sad smile tugged at his face but he knew that at least he could be happy that his Shadowhunter wasn't in pain any longer.


	9. 109 Search

"Don't you dare," Magnus hissed, hands clenching. "Don't you dare give up on him."

"Magnus we have been searching for two weeks, if Alec were still alive don't you think that he would have escaped by now. I don't want to give up on him either but we have to look at the facts here." Isabelle said, tears streaming down her face now. Her once proud and hopeful attitude lay trampled somewhere else.

Magnus shook his head, his purple and blue dyed tips flinging about and creating a colorful arc in the low sunlight. His Shadowhunter hadn't come home for the past two nights and Magnus being Magnus had incorrectly assumed that he was at the institute with his sister, parabatai, and his parabatai's girlfriend. But when his sister Isabelle called, frantic and looking for Alec, he knew something was wrong then. Alec left people messages where he was going and when he was gonna' be home.

Magnus blamed himself, he should have known that something was wrong when he didn't receive a call. A hand clapped on his shoulder and he jumped. Turning he brought one blue flamed hand up and stopped before hitting the would be assailants neck.

Jace stood before him looking grim and deathly pale.

"Did you?" Magnus asked.

Jace shook his head and walked to where his girlfriend Clary stood. Taking her in his arms he gave her a hug then did the same with Isabelle and Magnus, whispering "We'll find him."

Outloud he said, "I'm with Magnus, Alec isn't dead."

"How do you know that?" Isabelle yelled.

Jace placed his hand over his heart and gripped the fabric of his shirt tight. "I'm his parabatai. If he died I would feel it just like he felt mine. I haven't felt anything so he's alive. It's all I have but I'll believe it." He stood by Magnus as if offering silent strength and for that the mage was extremely grateful.

Magnus's phone went off, the "Halloween" theme playing. He turned white, slipped a shaking hand into his tight pants pocket, and took his phone out; staring at the screen like he had grown another head. The ringtone stopped and the message icon flashed a couple minutes later, he had a voicemail.

"Why didn't you answer it?" Isabelle asked. Her hair was standing up from both the sweat and the fact that she kept running her hands through it, teasing it into a beehive style almost.

Before he could answer the piece of technology rang again. This time Jace flipped it open and answered without looking at the Caller ID. "Hello?" Turning white he stuttered out a, "B - be there soon," and hung up.

Staring at the screen for a full minute he shook himself free and turned his wide eyed stare at the group. "It was Alec, he's at Magnus's apartment waiting for us."

"Well then let's go," Isabelle shouted. Her face shone with hope now but the small shred that said _Please let this be real,_ was fragile and Jace was hoping that this wasn't a false call from someone pretending to be Alec. They didn't need that. Not tonight at least.

The trek to the Warlock's apartment was filled with silence, tension, and jumpy nerves abound. The slightest sound had Magnus springing around, knife in hand to attack random stray alley cats.

Getting there they waited for the elevator. Hitting the button for the top floor, Magnus was the first one off as the doors dinged open. His key in hand he looked shocked as the door swung inward; unlocked and unbarred.

Drawing a knife he tip-toed in and looked around. Barely touching the floor he made his way to the bedroom to check each room by itself. Opening the door he was going to leave but the sight of a bump under the covers stopped him.

Lying on the bed was a fast asleep but really beat up, Alexander Lightwood; Shadowhunter of New York. His clothes were off and he was wrapped in a towel and light blanket, both not touching his injured back.

Magnus went over to him and very carefully touched his arm. "Alec, darling," he whispered.

Alec came awake at a startling rate before grabbing at his chest and doubling over in pain.

Magnus jumped back before calling for the others to stay where they were.

"Alec?"

Alec looked up, pain radiating from his blue eyes as he lay back on the bed, face down and buried into the soft pillows.

Magnus crossed the room again, placed a knee on the bed and reached out to touch the bruised shoulder. "What happened, love? Where were you?"

Alec smiled a watery smile and just simply whispered, "I'm home Mags."


	10. 111 Defiant

"You can toss me out on the streets, disown me, take away my marks even; but nothing," Alec snarled, "nothing will make me give up Magnus."

The Clave narrowed his multiple eyes at the young Shadowhunter. His stubbornness was not what they had expected when they had called a meeting to...discuss the predicament the young warrior found himself in. Engaged to a Downworlder of all things. The Clave was disappointed that he had fallen so low as to marry one of these...disgusting creatures, but to actually marry a man? That was throwing everything he had ever learned into the Clave's face and disregarding it.

Alexander Lightwood thought he knew better than the aged men who made the laws and protected people of Idris and those under the Institute's care. He was about to get a wake up call.

The ornate doors to the Clave meeting room opened. Two guards in black, swords at their hips and arrows in a quiver on their backs. Between them, walking with flagging steps was one Magnus Bane, high Warlock of Brooklyn and Alec's boyfriend.

Furrowing his brow Alec looked to the Elders of the Clave then back to where Magnus was. "What are you going to do?" He asked, voice small an quiet in the large space.

The Elders were pleased to hear that he had changed his tune. This is what they wanted in their Shadowhunters, compliance. They needed to be able to follow orders, no matter what, not let emotion get in the way and cloud their judgements.

"_WE_ are not going to do anything, Alexander. You, however, will be doing all that we tell you to," the Elder on the farthest right intoned, voice echoing around the chamber they were in.

Alec felt his brow raise with that sentence. "And what would the Clave _like_ for me to do?"

"To dispatch the Downworlder with haste. He is of no further use to anybody here."

Alec gaped, Magnus gasped, and the Clave was pleased. They needed the young Lightwood to see that he couldn't get away with breaking the Accords. They needed to set an example for the rest of their Shadowhunters. Broke Accords led to unrest and others thinking they could do whatever they wanted too.

"Are you NUTS!" Alec shouted, sereph in hand clattering to the Enclave floor. "You must be crazy at the least, or have a mental issue, sir. There is no way I am killing my boyfriend, Downworlder or not."

"Thank you Alec, I quite like my life," Magnus retorted from where he was now kneeling on the floor, still between the two guard dressed in black.

"Do this now or we will strip you of your marks _and_ make sure you can receive no more during your lifetime, young one."

"Do not be foolish in this venture, young Lightwood. You alone can uphold your family line and name now. You have no other choice."

The Elders voice's stayed the same along the table and along with the decisions as well.

"I do have a choice, Elder and I choose not to do this. Not to him, not to me, and not to us. I refuse to do this." Alec's voice betrayed how he felt hen it broke halfway through his first sentence. He knew the options they were presenting him but having his marks stripped seemed like the worst thing they could do to him.

The Elders debated amongst themselves then turned back to Alexander.

"Then young Lightwood, we, the Clave and ruling body of the Institutes of Shadowhunter, have passed sentence of stripping your marks. Send for the Silent Brothers now." The inquistitor sighed. He never felt comfortable or joyous in the slightest when he ordered Marks stripped from a Shadowhunter so young. But he had dug his own grave and now he must face it.

"Take the Downworlder to watch as punishment. He should know what this means for his Shadowhunter in the future. He will not be allowed to contact his family, he no longer has one. He will not be allowed sanctuary insdie Institutes no matter where he goes or how far he travels, he cannot claim anything from the Silent Brothers nor go to them or the Silent Sisters for help. he will be turned away everywhere he once was welcome as Angel kin and blood. This is his fate and what will befall him." Turning to Magnus who was shuffling along, his legs numb and now just waking up from kneeling so long he continued his triade, "You should know that as High Warlock we shall still do business with you but only with you. No Shadowhunter shall speak to him but as a mundane now. He will never be of Raziel's blood again." The Elder stopped in front of a cell that held the Ex-Shadowhunter to be. Unlocking it he opened it for Magnus to step in.

"Alec?" Magnus questioned, stepping in and hearing the door relock behind him. Kneeling down, because honestly his pants were already ruined from everything else today so why the hell not, he caught Alec's chin with two of his fingers and met the tear filled blue eyes that intice him so long ago now.

"Alec. Why don't you just give me up. Not being a Shadowhunter will kil you. It's all you've known. Please don't do this for me." Magnus really didn't care if he was pleasding now or not. He just knew he didn't want his Shadowhunter to suffer as he heard one suffer years ago, in another time for another love that he couldn't have either. One he couldn't save or help.

"The Silent Brothers will be here soon to strip my marks, Magnus. There is a chance I might not survive this. If that happens promise me you'll keep living, keep doing what you're good at, keep being yourself."

Magnus nodded, at this point he's pretty sure he would promise the sun or the moon just to keep Alec happy. He looked at the young Shadowhunter sitting in a cold bench in a cell in Idris and laughed at the irony. The Clave was supposed to be good for understanding but this was the exact opposite. Instead of helping and protecting the young and teaching them they were ready to strip the marks of the most talented Shadowhunters since William Herondale. Magnus should know, he knew William when he was younger. Damn good Shadowhunter.

The cell opened, a Silent Brother stood there, cloak pulled tight around his body, hood drawn so his face didn't show but Magnus would knw that figure anywhere. He had met him ages ago, had sat on his lap as a child, and had met him when he was once more a man then a Silent Brother once more.

"Brother Zechariah? How goes you?" he asked, standing in front of Alec and giving the other a small hug.

"_As fine as I was all those years ago, young Warlock. How fares you?"_ The Brother asked. His hands let his hood down and Magnus looked at a face that he remembered from the past. Changed? Yes. But not so much that he wouldn't recognize him.

"I fare as fine as you. Are you to do the removal?"

"_I am. Stand aside now Magnus, I have no wish to do this to a fellow Shadowhunter but I must. I am sorry." _

"It's alright Brother, I knew what I was doing when I asked Magnus to date me. It was just a matter of time before the Clave had enough of it." Standing Alec made for the door, striding confidently towards his doom and maybe his death.

Brother Zechariah inclined his head in a show of respect and stood out of the way for Alec to step through the door. Shutting it once he was through he looked to see Magnus still there.

"I thought he was supposed to come with me? To witness," Alec asked, stopping in his tracks and looking back with the Brother.

"_He will not be witness today. Only you will be witness."_ The Brother gave Alec a push down the hall. For Magnus only he said, "_He will be striped of all but one mark, the mark he needs to remain a Shadowhunter. I would appreciate it if you kept silent to the Clave about this. Alexander will know when we are done but not during. Peace be with you Magnus Bane and go with grace towards whatever you wish your future to be with this young Shadowhunter."_

Magnus smiled through the tears that were falling and just nodded. He knew Jem would understand without words.


	11. 114 Decent

Magnus swallowed, clenching his hands as he took in the purpled and yellowed bruises that plastered his Shadowhunter's ribs and chest before moving forward, raising two glowing blue hands.

He wished it hadn't come to this. Him, just him, alone in a room with his Shadowhunter lover. Making him presentable for his last day. For his last Rites as a Shadowhunter.

The bruises faded under his gentle hands and Magnus couldn't keep the tears in anymore. They fell to land on the bridge of the pale face and dripped off the sides. Magnus's cat yellow eyes closed and he wished he was next to Alec. But old age couldn't, wouldn't, come for him. It wouldn't touch Magnus for as long as he lived. Getting older was a pleasure denied to him.

The door opened a crack to reveal an aged Clary, her snow white hair fell about her face in a way that made her seem like a teenager again. Her blue/green eyes that usually sparkled with childish joy, now watered with unshed tears. "How you holding up, Mags?" her voice wasn't above a whisper but to Magnus it seemed like she screamed.

"I wish I could say I'm doing okay," Magnus said as he gently laid the old Shadowhunter back onto the white silk sheet. "But that would be lying."

Clary crossed the room and wrapped her strong arms around the silently crying Warlock, adding her own to tears to the mix. "It will get better, that I can promise. The pain will stop, one day."

Magnus nodded to her words, she would know. Jace had died not even five years ago after living to be _one_ of the oldest Shadohunters on record, a whopping 150 years old. At nearly 155 Alexander "Alec" Gideon Lightwood beat him. Thanks to Magnus sharing what life energy he had when they got married. But in the end the Piper had called and Alec had followed the tune, even though Magnus had pleaded for him to stay. But when one has led a good life and has made many memories then the world really has nothing more to offer.

The door creaked open again and there stood a woman who time had left alone too. Her dress spoke of a slightly different era, the poofy skirts with the slight frills at the end. A white colored dress, a dress of mourning for a Shadowhunter fallen. Her name was Tessa Grey and she, like Magnus, was a Warlock.

Clary carefully stood and let Tessa take her spot. While she herself was also long lived due to experiments done to her while still in the womb, Tessa and Magnus both were Warlocks and would never age past what they looked like now, while Clary herself would slowly age and wither as time went by. No matter how much angel blood she had in her.

Clary quietly left the room, shutting the door with such a finality that she had to silently laugh about it. Finality, what was that? Was the shutting of a door such an end that it couldn't be opened again. Or was it that finality, much like life, had an end to it that caused such a stir in the air that it was only those that lived forever felt it.

Sighing she leaned against the door before moving to where the final ceremony would be held. An open area with a raised stone, wood stack beside it for the prye. The Silent Brothers had been here just the day before, intoning Last Rites for Alec, Clary had seen them herself. She often wished that she wasn't the last one of them to die but then her family had made it bearable. Her children and their children's children had at least.

Tears leaked from her eyes to hit the floor with a soft plink and her fingers itched to draw something, anything, to help ease the pain everybody felt from the passing of their best friend.

She wished...but that didn't make it any better. She could wish all she could but nothing would change from it. Only time would make it better for Magnus.


End file.
